Fresh from Aretha taking out Monday’s Daintys Daughter Country Classic, trainer Jemma Hayman admits she’s expecting the nerves ahead Friday’s Vale Mark Lewis Pace (2130m) at Gloucester Park to rival those of a Group 1 race.
Hayman has Petes Honour engaged in the event, with champion reinsman Chris Lewis to drive him in the race named in the memory of his late son, who passed away earlier this month.
Lewis has had success for Hayman with Petes Honour in the past and enjoyed a plethora of feature race wins with Hayman’s husband and fellow trainer Ross Olivieri.
Hayman said Lewis had built a good rapport with Petes Honour and hoped he could deliver on Friday.
“When I saw the fields come out yesterday and looked at this race, I got nerves like it was a Group 1,” Hayman told Racing WA Harness.
“I’m going to give my bloke every chance to win that race for Chris.
“Petes Honour has been Chris’ drive and he’s only ever not driven him if he’s been away on holiday or didn’t go to a meeting for another reason.
“Chris also drove his 6000th winner on Petes Honour at Pinjarra.
“Ross and I have been close to the Lewis family for such a long time and our thoughts are certainly with them.”
Hayman said she had made some alterations with Petes Honour’s head gear and expected a much-improved performance on last start.
Hayman will also be hunting another feature race win in the Garrards BOTRA Cup (2503m) with Chilli Punter.
The consistent mare enters the standing start event following a second to Dawson in the York Cup (2560m) at Northam last month and an unlucky fourth to the same pacer over 2503m last Friday night.
While Dawson has had Chilli Punter’s measure on the past two occasions, the mare gets an all-important 10m advantage on him this week after they started from the same handicap last week.
Minor Catastrophe, Maximum Rock and Beat The Bank will start on the front line and have a 10m advantage on Chilli Punter.
Hayman said she hoped Chilli Punter, to be driven by Kyle Symington, could work her way past the front line, but conceded the Chris Voak-trained Maximum Rock could have a significant say in that.
“She’s been consistent and really thriving at home,” she said.
“Kyle has really got the standing starts down pat with her and has been getting away really well.
“I see Friday as a winnable race.
“I guess it would be interesting to know if Voaky wanted to hold up as he might be the first one out there.
“I would love to see Chilli Punter out there and given her chance.”
While Maximum Rock and Dawson loom as dangers to Chilli Punter, fellow consistent performers Bluto and Im The Black Flash also have winning claims off 30m and 60m.
Elsewhere, Hayman said she was pleasantly surprised by the manner which Aretha won Monday’s Daintys Daughter Country Classic and had now booked herself a shot at September’s WA Oaks.
Tim Walker
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